This press release recently landed in my e-mail box. It's from Anne Halsey, media coordinator of the Poetry Foundation, one of the sponsors of the Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest. The Wyoming Arts Council sponsors Poetry Out Loud in our state, and currently is taking applications from schools interested in participating.
Here's the press release:
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of "American Life in Poetry," is happy to announce the launch of the Poetry Foundation Syndicate, a free weekly service for newspapers offering poetry book reviews, poetry columnists, and articles about poets and poetry, selected with the general reader in mind.
Poetry in America, a National Opinion Research Center study commissioned by the Foundation, revealed that the vast majority (90%) of American readers highly value poetry and believe it offers a deeper appreciation of the world around them, a better understanding of oneself and others, comfort in difficult times, and sheer enjoyment. In addition, an overall 64% of adult readers think that people should read more poetry.
This research, along with the continued success of Ted Kooser's weekly poetry column "American Life in Poetry,"--published by the Poetry Foundation and now reaching more than 4 million readers a week in more than 70 newspapers--has prompted the Foundation to believe that editors and newspaper readers will welcome more extensive commentary about contemporary poetry.
With the purpose of making poetry more available to a broader audience, the Poetry Foundation Syndicate features engaging and informative writing about the art form by leading poets and writers.
To register to receive the syndicate's free weekly releases, or for more information, go to http://poetryfoundation.org/programs/media.html.
